In The Corner of Her Mind
by I am the Queen of Fire
Summary: She has a lot of regrets regarding her past life, but when destiny gives her another chance, Aino Minako decides that she won't let it slip through her fingers. But, unfortunately, destiny is not so kind and what she has fought so hard to get can be suddenly taken away from her. *Shoujo-ai Warning* Rei/Minako - Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon (PGSM) Universe.
1. Unexpected

**Author's note: **Hi, guys. This is a Rei/Minako fanfic, based on the live-action Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon. For those of you who are not familiar with the show, there are some things you should know (_spoiler alert_): their personalities are different from the anime (Rei and Minako's, especially); Luna and Artemis are plush cats (don't ask me why... and, honestly, it took me some time to get over it); Minako was already an idol when they first met and she had a brain disease - she dies later in the show, but then she is revived by the powers of the Silver Crystal.

This story takes place two years after the Special Act, which means that Usagi and Mamoru are already married and the girls are around 20 years old. I'm considering that they are still senshi, though they don't have to fight against evil anymore. It's going to be fluffy at the beginning, for I will focus on developing Rei and Minako's relationship, but there will be some drama later on. No action, meaning, no youma or battle scenes. Oh, and things will revolve mainly around Rei and Minako, so I won't focus on the other characters... at least, I don't plan to. Now, if you're still interested, please go on.

I have to warn you that my life is a mess and I will take this story very, very slowly, but I'll try my best to update it as fast as I can.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, but I wish Komatsu Ayaka (the actress who plays Minako) were mine... She's so cute... _*sigh*_

* * *

**CHAPTER 1 - Unexpected**

Minako let herself fall onto the armchair in her dressing room. She was tired, but she was also happy for it certainly had been an amazing show. After her European Tour, she was finally back to her hometown and it was refreshing to be performing in front of her Japanese fans. In front of her friends.

In front of _her_.

Minako wiped the sweat off her face with a towel and smiled at herself as she recalled the way Rei was staring at her during the show. Not even once had the miko taken her eyes off her and that realization made Minako's heart flutter.

But would it mean anything?

Minako didn't know. She was the Senshi of Love, indeed, but that had proved to be useless when it came to her own love life. Rei was the most difficult person to read, even with Minako's empathic powers.

A slow sigh escaped her lips as she thought of her fellow senshi. Rei was definitely a mystery. And the more the time passed, the more Minako found herself curious about her friend. Well, _curious _would be an understatement. Minako was, without a doubt, fascinated by Rei.

The world had ended, it had been restored, she had died, then she had somehow lived again and now she was completely cured of her illness... but one thing hadn't changed: the way she felt around Rei. Since the beginning, and much to Minako's surprise, Rei had naturally found a way to break down all the walls the young idol had built around herself.

Maybe it had to do with the fact that Rei didn't care about Aino Minako, Japan's most beloved pop idol. Rei didn't even know who Minako was when they first met and that thought made her chuckle. But while the Senshi of Fire was completely oblivious to Minako's fame, she had been the first one to really notice Minako, the girl underneath the idol... the girl who was very sick and scared to face it all alone... the girl who desperately needed a friend, as much as she didn't want to admit it back then.

Even so, even with Minako's every attempt to push Rei away, even with Minako's rash comments about whether or not Rei was worthy to be her second in command... the stubborn miko hadn't given up on her. Rei had done everything not to let Minako simply die without fighting for her own life.

Then something inside Minako changed. For the first time in her life, the young idol felt she had a friend, someone who truly cared about her. Someone Minako could trust not only to replace her as a leader, if that time ever came again, but someone who would always be by her side. And for that, Minako was really grateful... and happy.

She came to admire Rei and, in so many ways, she could relate to the other girl. Minako knew the taste of solitude and whenever she looked at Rei's eyes, she would always see that Rei felt the same. For countless times, Minako wished she could make the Senshi of Fire smile that beautiful, bright smile of hers. Minako wanted to hold Rei in her arms and brush that sadness and loneliness away. She wanted to save Rei the same way Rei had saved her.

Then a knock on the door pulled the idol out of her thoughts.

"Come in, Sacho." Minako answered absently, wondering why he had bothered to knock this time. She had just started to put some lipstick on when she took a look at the mirror and noticed it wasn't Sacho who was standing there.

"Rei?!" Minako turned on her chair and she couldn't hold a smile, which Rei returned immediately. "I'm so glad you came, Reiko!"

But Rei's smile was soon replaced by a scowl when she heard the use of her pet name.

"What do I have to do so you can stop calling me that?" Rei snorted half-heartedly. She would never admit that to Minako, but she kind of liked that nickname.

Minako giggled, stepping closer and holding Rei's hand. She saw the blush taking over Rei's cheeks and she was amazed by the fact that the miko hadn't tried to pull away from her. "You should get over it. I'll never stop calling you _Reiko_, Reiko."

Rei rolled her eyes and sighed, knowing well enough that arguing with Minako about this was a waste of time. She dropped her gaze to their clasped hands and felt her cheeks getting even warmer.

"I... You... Uh, what I mean is... the show was great. Congratulations." Rei stammered a little, her eyes looking everywhere but Minako's.

Minako grinned in delight as she noticed the way Rei was acting around her. She looked so cute, embarrassed like that. Even Rei's ears were red now and Minako wondered what would be her reaction if she just leaned forward and kissed her lips.

"Did you really like it?" Minako asked instead, thinking that a stolen kiss would probably scare Rei to death.

Rei smiled, acutely aware that Minako was now caressing her hand. "Sure I did. But I must confess I always think it's odd to hear all those crazy people screaming your name."

Minako just couldn't waste the opportunity, so she took a step forward and brought her lips close to Rei's ear, whispering suggestively. "What do I have to do to make _you _scream my name... Reiko?"

Rei widened her eyes and stiffened, a look of horror on her face. "Minako!"

"Oh, that was easy." Minako feigned disappointment. "I was hoping I would have to be more... _persuasive_ to make you scream my name." She winked at a mortified Rei, fighting the urge to laugh... and definitely fighting the urge to kiss her.

"Minako, I-"

But Rei was saved by the bell when an energetic princess burst through the door, dragging Mamoru by his arm.

"MINAKO!" Usagi squealed and Rei had to cover her ears for protection. Then the princess let go of Mamoru and threw herself in the idol's arms, almost making Minako lose her balance. "Oh, you were great! You were awesome! It was amazing! And oh my God! The songs, the dancing, the-"

"Usagi." Rei rolled her eyes before she looked at the Moon Princess. "You're babbling. And you're killing her. Her face is even turning blue."

"Oh!" Usagi smiled sheepishly, finally allowing Minako to breathe. "Sorry! It's just that I've missed you so much, Minako!"

"You would miss her even more if you killed her." Rei deadpanned, causing Usagi to pout while Minako and Mamoru chuckled at her antics.

Minako then turned to Usagi, who had just found comfort in her husband's arms. "Where are Ami and Makoto? I thought they would be with you."

"Well, they were. But they decided to go to the bathroom and then we lost them. So Rei came to find you while Mamoru and I went to look for them, but it's really crazy out there!" Usagi explained while she widened her eyes. "You wouldn't believe how many people are there just waiting for you!"

"Usually I would go there and take some pictures, sign some autographs... But tonight all I want is to be with you guys!" Minako stated cheerfully. "Just give me a minute so I can change, okay?"

"So why don't we go find the others while Minako gets ready?" Mamoru suggested, placing one arm over Usagi's shoulders.

"That's a good idea." Minako agreed, smiling politely at Mamoru. Though she wasn't particularly close to him, she had come to like him, especially after he and Usagi got married. "I'll meet you at the Arcade in half an hour."

So Mamoru, Usagi and Rei nodded and then they turned to leave, but then Minako's hand wrapped around the miko's wrist. "No, no. Not you, Rei. You're staying with me. First I need help with something and then you can escort me to the Arcade. After all, you are still a bodyguard, are you not?"

"Yes, I am a bodyguard." Rei said slowly as she eyed Minako warily. "But I am _Usagi's_ bodyguard. Not yours."

Minako then gave Usagi a sweet, innocent look and she spoke in a sweet, innocent voice. "So... May I borrow Rei for the night, Usagi?"

"Hey! I'm not a _thing _to be _borrowed!" _Rei stated indignantly, her cheeks getting adorably pink.

Usagi looked at Minako, then at Rei, then at Minako again. She bit her lower lip when she thought that maybe the idol had finally decided to act on her feelings for Rei, which by that time were obvious even to the usually dense Moon Princess.

"Oh, please, take her. I have Mamoru, so Rei is all yours!" Usagi replied, giggling as she saw Rei's gawking expression.

"What?! No, I'm not-"

"Oh, stop whining, Reiko. Whining doesn't suit you." Minako waved her hand dismissively at Rei before she winked gratefully at Usagi. And before Rei could protest or threaten to kill someone, Usagi and Mamoru said their goodbyes and left the room.

When she found herself alone with the idol, Rei became visibly nervous as she mulled over Minako's request and Usagi's double meaning reply.

"So..." Rei began to speak, hoping that it would wipe Minako's smirk off her face. "You said you needed help with something."

"Yes..." Minako turned to the mirror, tossing her hair to the side as she stared at Rei's reflection. She noticed the miko wasn't moving, eyes fixed on her back. Minako wanted to make sure that Rei would return her feelings before she actually made a move, so she decided that she would tease Rei remorselessly and see her reaction. One corner of her mouth twitched slightly and Minako rested her chin on her own shoulder, murmuring seductively. "I can't reach the zipper. Could you help me get out of this dress, Reiko?"

She was expecting Rei to gawk, gasp or blush furiously. Maybe Rei would even do all these things at the same time. But much to Minako's surprise, Rei said no words and simply walked to where she was standing. Slowly Rei's hands searched for the zipper and Minako shivered as she felt the warm touch of those fingers on her bare skin. The idol even had to restrain a soft moan that almost reached her lips. Then she closed her eyes briefly, pretty aware that her goosebumps would be easily noticed by Rei.

Minako just couldn't believe her plan had backfired and Rei had beaten her in her own game.

But though Rei was usually a shy and reserved girl, Minako had always thought there had to be a very good reason for her to be the Senshi of Fire _and _Passion. This was probably Rei's most intimate side, the side that she would only reveal to her lover. And Minako so desperately wanted to be the one who would get to know it, especially now that she was feeling Rei's warm breath teasing the back of her neck with irregular puffs of air.

They had never been this close before and Minako felt she was beginning to lose control. Not only Rei had unzipped her dress, but she was now pulling the straps off Minako's shoulders with a gentle, lingering touch. The Senshi of Love bit her lower lip, feeling her desire increase and all her inner muscles contracting repeatedly.

Rei's reaction was simply unbelievable. Not that Minako was complaining... because she obviously wasn't. It was just that now she didn't know what to do. Rei was moving forward instead of retracting herself like she had always done. Minako's guess was that Mars had taken the lead, for in her past life the Senshi of Fire had been considerably less shy than Rei.

And as her dress slid down her body and fell onto the floor, Minako instinctively, yet slowly, turned around to face Rei.

"Reiko..." She locked her eyes with Rei's and whispered her name longingly, feeling for the first time her face flushing. She hadn't planned on going this far, but there she was, wearing only lingerie in front of the girl she had fallen in love with a couple of years ago.

"Mina..." Rei whispered back, watching Minako gazing at her through half-lidded eyes. Her commander licked her own lips, sensually wetting them. So Rei looked away from her eyes and stared at her mouth, finding herself completely enticed by the other girl. She was still looking intently at Minako's lips and her arms moved almost of their own accord, wrapping around the idol's thin waist, pulling her closer.

The Senshi of Love closed her eyes and her hands found the back of Rei's head. Their trembling lips were mere inches away, almost to the point of touching, but a loud voice broke the moment.

Coming out of her trance and moving like lightning, Rei stepped away from Minako just before Sacho got into the room.

"Oh, there you are! What's taking you so long, Minako?!" He asked, apparently not minding the idol was only in her underwear.

Minako was with her eyes widened, then she shook her head and tried to regain her composure. "Sacho! Close the door! I don't want someone to take a picture of me wearing only lingerie!" Minako declared while quickly covering her body with a towel, still feeling dazed for what had almost happened between her and her second in command.

"MARS REIKO!" Sacho cried out when he noticed the girl standing on the corner of the room, closing, or rather slamming, the door behind him. "It's so good to see you!"

"Uh... hi..." Rei muttered and Minako wondered how Sacho could be so oblivious to the fact that she herself was almost naked, face flushed, and Rei was currently blushing the deepest shade of red. For a man who was brilliant while managing her career, it seemed he couldn't put two and two together when it came to her love life.

"Oh, you were so right, Minako! Reiko is even more beautiful than she was two years ago!" The manager declared happily, cupping Rei's chin in his hand. He was unaware of the blush on Minako's cheek for his slip of tongue. "Look at these eyes! And this skin! And this jawline! I really wished you were more inclined to join the show business, you know? You would be a huge success as a model!"

"Sacho, stop harassing her. You've already tried to persuade her like a thousand times before. It's time to accept that Reiko won't give in." Minako said with a roll of her eyes, as she began to get dressed.

Her manager kept on staring at Rei thoroughly, making the miko a little bit uncomfortable and apparently ignoring Minako's words. A few seconds later, though, he glanced at the idol and frowned. "Hey, why are you wearing _that_? You should put on that other outfit for your press conference."

"What _press conference, _Sacho?" Minako said the words slowly, frowning as she did so. She definitely couldn't remember any press conference she was supposed to attend to.

Sacho smiled nervously when he noticed that Minako didn't look happy. "Well, the one I've just scheduled for you to talk about your last show and your next album."

"No! No, no, no! Not tonight, Sacho! You promised me!" Minako shook her head negatively, the annoyance even more evident in her tone. "You've said I could be with my friends after the show and you won't trap me into a press conference right now!"

"Wait, Minako!" Sacho tried to argue, but for the look on her face, he knew it would be in vain. "Please, don't-"

"_You_ scheduled this press conference, right? So _you_ deal with it." The idol said with no trace of sympathy in her voice, reaching for her purse with one hand and grabbing Rei's with the other. "Bye, Sacho. See you tomorrow."

And she was gone before he could voice another word.


	2. Taking Chances

**CHAPTER 2 - Taking Chances**

Even after all these years, Rei was still amazed by the fact that Minako could make herself go unnoticed whenever she wanted to. The idol was wearing regular clothes, just a black skirt and a white t-shirt with a pair of military boots, and she was also wearing a cap to cover some of her face. She was elegant as usual, but no one seemed to notice her. Rei knew Minako had the ability to suppress her aura, as well as make it shine bright when she wanted to capture everyone's attention. And she was very good at it.

Five blocks later, Minako was still absently holding Rei's hand, which made the miko feel a little bit nervous.

"Uh, Minako..." She said tentatively, snapping the idol out of her thoughts. "Are you sure you want to walk all the way to the Arcade? I mean... not that I mind walking, but aren't you tired after the show?"

Minako gave Rei a small smile, feeling her annoyance decrease as she stared at those eyes. "Walking helps me chill out, Reiko." She replied softly, slowing down her pace a little, but never letting go of Rei's hand. "I still can't believe Sacho has tried to make me work even more tonight. He had promised me I would have the night off after the show. He knew how much I was looking for it."

"You must be really tired after that European tour." Rei noted, wondering how Minako could put up with all that mess around her. "You certainly deserve some rest."

"Actually, I'm not physically tired. And I don't mind when there's a lot of things to do, for it helps me to get distracted, but..." Minako stopped walking and she stared directly at Rei, a serious expression on her face, "it's just that I really wanted to be with you tonight. I've missed you."

"I- We- We've missed you too." Rei stammered, wondering if Minako had just said that she missed _her, _especifically, or if she was talking about the others too. But, for the look on the other girl's face, Rei knew the answer. "It's not the same without you here, you know? Having _you _singing your own songs is way better than listening to_ Usagi_ singing them."

Minako chuckled as she recalled how off-key their princess could be. After a brief moment, though, her expression was serious again.

"Rei..." Minako began to speak, feeling incredibly nervous as she did so. Performing for thousands of people was nothing compared to be standing in front of Rei and looking her in the eyes, trying to find the words to confess her feelings, "...about what happened earlier in my dressing room, I-"

But Minako stopped mid-sentence when she heard her cell phone ringing. She offered Rei an apologetic smile and reached for the device, rolling her eyes when she noticed it was Usagi calling.

"_Hey! Where are you guys?! What is taking you so long?!" _The Moon Princess whined loudly on the other side of the line, causing Minako to take the cell phone away from her ear. Rei chuckled as she thought that she herself had done the same thing countless times before to avoid going deaf by Usagi.

"I had to deal with Sacho before I left. But don't you worry, we'll be there soon." Then Minako said goodbye to Usagi and turned to face Rei again. She was silently searching for the right words, when she heard the miko's voice.

"Usagi must be frantic there, waiting for her _idol._ I honestly don't think Mamoru and the others will be able to put up with her any longer." Rei stated before Minako could speak. She knew Minako was trying to talk about what happened, or rather almost happened between them, but the truth was that she wasn't ready yet. Rei herself didn't know what gave her the courage to get too close to Minako and almost kiss her lips. She needed some time to figure it out. "So... We should get going, don't you think?"

Feeling that she had lost her opportunity, the idol just nodded weakly and resumed her walk towards the Arcade.

Her little confession would have to wait.

* * *

The night was amazing.

Minako, thanks to Rei's intervention, was spared from singing her whole discography, which was the top item on Usagi's _things-to-do-with-Minako_ list. But the idol didn't have the heart to deny her one song, Usagi's favorite, _C'est La Vie._

After she sang, Minako heard Makoto telling them that dinner was ready. She was glad to see that Rei's place was set right beside hers. Not that it would be any different, since Usagi would sit beside her husband, Ami would sit beside her boyfriend, Nephrite, and Motoki, Makoto's fiancé, would sit beside her. Minako smiled to herself, thinking that maybe some day she and Rei would also be in a relationship.

So after the dinner, they talked and laughed for hours just like the old times. Minako was glad she would be working in Tokyo for a couple of months to record her next album. This way she would get to spend more time with her friends, which was one of the few things that truly made her happy.

Minako was watching with amusement while Usagi was pestering Rei to sing a song with her. The miko was adamant, as usual, and Usagi was persistent, as usual, and none of them seemed willing to give up. Then Makoto and Ami approached the idol, while Mamoru, Motoki and Nephrite kept on cheerfully talking to each other.

"I'm glad you're back." Ami said softly, looking genuinely happy. "We've missed you."

"But _someone _missed you even more." Makoto grinned mischievously, motioning with her head to Rei. "You should have seen her when we got your message, telling us that you were coming back. She smiled! _Rei_ actually _smiled!_ And it was creepy, we're not used to that."

Minako giggled, playfully elbowing the Senshi of Thunder.

"And we know you've missed her too... more than you've missed the rest of us. Right?" Ami asked, adjusting her glasses. It was obvious to Minako that the duo was trying to gain some information from her. She wondered if Usagi was purposely distracting Rei while they did so.

"Yes. I guess I'm not the great actress I thought I was, because apparently I can't even hide it anymore. I feel... different about her. And I've been having these feelings for her for a while." Minako admitted easily, yet quietly, so only Ami and Makoto could hear her.

"I knew it!" Makoto cried out excitedly, before she covered her mouth with one of her hands. Everyone in the room glanced at her, but soon they let it go and resumed whatever they were doing before. Then Makoto lowered her voice, whispering to Minako. "Sorry... It's just that... well, I'm happy for you!"

"Really? So it doesn't bother you guys that I... you know..." Minako began to ask, but before she could finish the sentence, Ami spoke.

"Oh, no. We're are totally fine with it." The genius girl smiled warmly at Minako. "Love is love, right? It doesn't matter if you date a girl or a boy as long as you are happy. We've actually discussed this when we first noticed that there was _something_ between you and her. We were wondering how long it would take for you two to get together, but then you went on tour..."

"Anyway, now that you are back, what are you waiting for, Minako? Stop wasting your time and go get the girl!" Makoto said, trying to hold her excitement.

"But the thing is..." Minako shifted on her feet, "I don't know exactly how to approach her without driving her away."

"Oh, just tell her! And then kiss her!" Makoto whispered dreamily and Minako laughed at her antics, thinking that despite Makoto's boyish style, she was a very romantic girl.

Ami though was shaking her head negatively. "No, Makoto. Minako is right. She has to be very careful to approach Rei. Don't forget that Rei has trust issues, probably ever since her mother died and her father abandoned her. The fact that Minako is an idol makes things slightly worse, because maybe Rei will find it hard to commit to someone who has the world's eyes on her and who will constantly be away on tour. I think Rei might be scared to be left alone... again."

"Oh... I hadn't thought that way." Makoto said to Ami, then she turned to face Minako. But before she could say a word, she noticed Rei and Usagi walking towards them. And that meant that, unfortunately, she would have to change the subject.

"It's getting late. I really should get going." Rei stated, while Usagi was rubbing her sleepy eyes, emphasizing Rei's point.

"Will you escort me to my hotel, Reiko?" Minako asked sweetly. "After all, tonight you are working for me, right?"

"Working for you?!" Rei frowned. "I'm not wor-"

"Of course she is!" Usagi answered for Rei, cutting her off. "Go on, Rei. And make sure that Minako gets to her hotel safe and sound. That's an order from your princess!" Usagi lightly poked the tip of Rei's nose, making the Senshi of Fire snort while the others were giggling at them.

"One," Rei raised one finger to Usagi, "I would only take orders related to senshi business. And though Minako is a senshi, escorting her to her hotel doesn't qualify as senshi business," Rei raised another finger, "and two, I was already planning on walking her to her hotel anyway. I mean, she shouldn't walk alone, right? She could be attacked by one of those crazy groupies of hers."

"Awn, Reiko. I knew that underneath this scowl there was a very sweet and caring girl." Minako feigned an emotional expression, making Rei blush especially when the idol linked their arms together. "I think I've never had such a charming bodyguard before. I hope Usagi can lend me you again in the future."

"I'm not sweet..." Rei declared a little embarrassed. "And I've said it before: I'm. Not. A. Thing. To. Be. Borrowed. So knock it off!"

"She's so cute when she's in a bad mood, don't you think?" Minako cupped Rei's chin in one of her hands and smiled playfully at her.

"So, according to you, she's cute all the time." Makoto deadpanned, only to make Rei snort once again.

"I'm not always in a bad mood! And I'm not cute! And- Oh, let's go. There's no point in arguing with you." Rei grumbled as she grabbed Minako's hand and went up the stairs, the idol using her free hand to muffle her giggles.

Rei could still hear everyone laughing even after she slammed the door behind her.

* * *

They were silently walking through the streets of Tokyo and Rei was simply enjoying the feeling of the cold breeze on her cheeks, while Minako seemed completely lost in her thoughts.

Or rather in Venus' thoughts.

Ever since the world was reset, Minako started to have some dreams and flashes of her past life. Sure, she already had the memories related to her role as the leader of the senshi, but lately Minako had regained other memories... the ones related to Venus' private life. And much to her surprise, lots of them were about a certain Senshi of Fire.

Minako was disappointed at the fact that, during the Silver Millennium, nothing had happened between her and her second in command. But... there were hints everywhere. They were very close, they were best friends, they were always in each other's company... and Minako had no doubts that Venus had had strong feelings towards the other woman. But, back then, the Senshi of Love had fought against those feelings.

It wasn't like Venus didn't want them to be together; she did. It was rather that she thought she _shouldn't _let herself get involved with one of her fellow senshi. A relationship with Mars could put the princess' life in danger, because it would be difficult, if not impossible, to separate Venus' personal feelings from her duties. It was rather ironic that a Venusian was denying her own love, especially because this particular Venusian was the Senshi of _Love._

But when that tragedy happened, Venus knew she had made a terrible mistake. She was there in the battlefield, holding Mars' lifeless body in her arms, crying wholeheartedly when she realized it was too late. She would never have the opportunity to look into those beautiful eyes again and tell Mars about her feelings... she would never have the chance to kiss the girl she had loved for years... the girl that certainly had loved her back.

But Venus knew why Mars had never made a move: the Senshi of Fire understood her leader's hesitation. Mars knew that Venus would never let her feelings get in the way of her duties to the Moon Kingdom. For countless times, Venus had caught herself mulling over what she would do if the Moon Princess and Mars were in danger at the same time. Her mind would definitely go to Serenity, but her heart... her heart would go to Mars in the blink of an eye.

In the end, Venus had been silly to think that keeping her distance from Mars would solve all her problems. It wouldn't. And it didn't. There, with Mars lying dead in her arms, Venus wished she could have another chance to make things right. She was positive sure that it wouldn't have mattered if she had had a relationship with her second in command: she would still be able to perform her job, because she would always do what she had to do.

And, besides, they were all destined to die anyway.

"What are you thinking?" Rei asked, looking curiously at Minako. "You seem miles away."

Minako shook her head, getting rid of her memories. "To be honest, it was more like _millenniums _away."

Rei sighed as she heard the answer. "Please don't tell me you're still obsessed with our past lives. I never thought I would say this, but... I think I'd much prefer you teasing me than being so quiet, thinking over and over again about things that happened a thousand years ago."

A laughter escaped Minako's lips. "Is this your way of telling me that you like when I tease you? Because, you know... I love to do it, especially if it means that I will get to see you blush for me."

"That was not what I meant..." Rei mumbled and she stopped walking, noticing that they were already in front of Minako's hotel.

"Actually, Reiko, I'm not obsessed with my past life." Minako said a little more serious than the usual. "I was just thinking that I'm blessed for being able to remember what happened to Venus so I, Aino Minako, can have a chance to make things differently. I don't want to repeat the same mistakes. I don't want to let the opportunities pass me by."

"What do you mean, Minako?" Rei asked, frowning a little.

"What I mean is..." Minako took a step forward, taking Rei's hand in hers, feeling incredibly shy when she raised her eyes to face the miko, "would you go out with me?"

Rei blinked a couple of times, visibly stunned and Minako noticed with hidden amusement that she had never seen Rei's cheeks go so red before.

"Go out..." Rei said slowly, "as in... on a date?"

Minako, who was always so sure of herself, felt her lips dry and her heart pound heavily against her chest. But that was it. There was no turning back now. She would have to deal with whatever answer Rei gave her. And, honestly, Minako was actually afraid that Rei would say _no_. She was the reincarnation of Venus and she was Aino Minako, one of the most famous singers in the whole world... but in the end, she was just like any ordinary girl. Sometimes she could be insecure and now she was definitely scared to be rejected by the only one she has ever loved.

"Yes... as in on a date." Minako gave her a small nod, staring at the ground and biting her lower lip. She had never asked someone out before and she had never thought she would feel so nervous about it, but there she was... at the verge of having a stroke if Rei took another minute to give her an answer.

"Why... me?" Rei asked quietly instead of answering and Minako noticed the confused expression on the other girl's face, though Rei wasn't looking directly at her. Apparently the floor had turned out to be a very interesting spot to stare at. "You could have anyone in the world... so why would you choose someone like me?"

_Ami was right,_ Minako thought. Maybe Rei was afraid the idol would get tired of her... or that Minako could meet someone else and dump her. Rei needed to be reassured that Minako would never leave her, that she wouldn't go anywhere. Rei's fear of letting her guard down was almost palpable and Minako could feel her own heart breaking at that sight. Rei had been so damaged... so neglected. And she didn't deserve to be treated that way.

"Why wouldn't I want _you?_ You are the most amazing girl I've ever met, Rei. Besides, you are the only one who sees _me_. You care for me, not for Aino Minako. You like me for what I am, not for my music or my movies. You say I can have anyone... but those people who cry for me and tell that they love me, they don't know me, Rei._ You _do. And you never gave up on me... not even when I myself did. You stood by my side and helped me for _me_, not for the idol I am." Minako squeezed her hand and she saw Rei raising her head to stare at her. "I know that you are afraid to get hurt, but I would never hurt you, Rei. I would never leave you. Give me a chance and I will show you that you can trust me, just like I trust you."

Softly, Rei freed her hand from Minako's and took a step back. "I never wanted a relationship, Minako... I never planned on letting anyone in my life..." Another step back. Then another.

And at every one of Rei's steps, Minako felt her heart breaking a little more. She could even feel the tears coming to her eyes.

"So I hope," Rei inhaled deeply before she went on, "I hope that you are here to stay."

"Reiko?" Minako's eyes sparkled bright as she went from hell to heaven. "Is this a _yes?"_

"Call me _Reiko_ again and I will turn it into a _no!"_ Rei crossed her arms over her chest, trying to sound serious. But the truth was that she would never say _no _to the other girl.

Minako had to fight her urge to dance out of happiness. "I'll pick you up tomorrow at 7 pm! Is that okay with you?" She asked, unable to hide the excitement in her voice.

"I'll be waiting. Goodnight, Minako." Rei said, still walking slowly backwards, letting her eyes linger on the idol for as long as she could.

"Goodbye..." Minako cried out and when Rei was far enough not to hear her, the idol whispered, "...Reiko."

* * *

**Author's note:**

I was glad to read such positive reviews! Thank you very much, guys! :)


	3. The Way You Look Tonight

**CHAPTER 3 - The Way You Look Tonight**

Rei was fidgeting with her cell phone, waiting for Minako to call her. It was almost 7 pm and she had been ready for over an hour, after spending the whole afternoon trying to decide what to wear for the night.

Rei didn't know where Minako would take her, but for someone as sophisticated as Minako, probably it would be a fancy place.

She was 19 and for the first time in her life, Rei cursed the fact that she had never gone on a date before. If she had, at least she would know what to expect... what to wear... or what to do. But Rei was totally clueless and it was rather scaring.

But then Rei smiled to herself. Even if she had gone on a thousand dates, she still wouldn't know what to expect from this one. Minako was certainly an unpredictable person, capable of doing the most unexpected things. Even if the idol had decided to take her to watch a movie and then have dinner, Rei would be amazed to see her being so traditional. One way or another, she was pretty sure Minako would surprise her.

So there Rei was, wearing a beautiful black dress and high heels. She was even wearing makeup only to try and impress the other girl. The truth was that she wanted to look pretty for Minako... Rei wanted everything to be perfect. Deep inside, she was a romantic and she wanted to have a wonderful time with the girl she had fallen in love with.

_In love... _yes, Rei knew she was in love. She and Minako had grown really close since they met and even closer after Usagi and Mamoru's wedding.

In the past two years, Minako had been on a world tour, but she and Rei never lost touch. In fact, they would send messages to each other every day. The teasing never ceased, of course, but there was _something_ between them; a special bond they didn't share with the others. And secretly Rei would anxiously wait for Sundays, because every Sunday Minako would call her "just to check up on her" and they would end up talking for hours about everything and nothing.

But even with those daily messages and weekly calls, Rei still missed Minako terribly. And as time passed by, Rei came to understand that she had fallen in love with her best friend.

So from the moment she knew Minako was coming back to Tokyo, Rei had decided that she would act on her feelings for the idol, though she had no idea of what to do. She didn't even know for sure if she had a chance. Minako used to show confusing signs; one time, flirting shamelessly with her and then acting shyly like a schoolgirl. Rei knew Minako didn't flirt with their other friends, but she always wondered what Minako was like when she was around other people... the people who worked with her and her friends from the show business. As far as Rei knew, Venusians were sexual creatures and Minako was Venus after all. In their past lives, the idol had been Aphrodite's daughter and the Goddess of Love was known for having many lovers. Rei was afraid Minako would have inherited Aphrodite's traits. If this were true, it would be something very difficult to deal with, since Martians were possessive creatures by nature and they valued faithfulness in a relationship.

So Rei never had the courage to ask Minako about her love life. It was not that she didn't want to know... she was actually afraid of the answer. All those damn gossip magazines frequently showed photos of Minako and a random male singer or actor, pointing out that they were having a secret love affair. Some articles would even conjecture about who had taken Minako's virginity and reading this kind of thing was extremely disturbing to Rei.

But, on the other hand, it was what had made the miko realize her feelings for Minako. After all, it wouldn't matter whom Minako was sleeping with if Rei didn't have feelings for her.

Rei was inexperienced, indeed, but she was not naive. Minako was famous worldwide and she was one of the most beautiful girls Rei had even seen... so why wouldn't the idol enjoy everything fame had to offer, many lovers included?

As for Rei, she had never let anyone get too close to her before. She wasn't blind and she could notice some boys, and a few girls, looking at her in a suggestive way. Her superiors would even tease her, telling that the number of young visitors had increased obscenely over the years because of her presence in the shrine. But Rei never really paid attention to anyone. She wasn't particularly interested in relationships and, to be honest, her heart was rather occupied by a certain pop idol ever since she was 15. And now, at the age of 19, Rei was watching her secret dream come true.

"Wow..."

Rei snapped out her thoughts when she heard Minako's voice, the girl leaning on the doorframe with eyes fixed on hers. She jumped to her feet, feeling incredibly nervous for the way Minako was staring at her. Then Rei took a careful look at the other girl and instinctively stopped breathing. Minako looked absolutely gorgeous, even more than the usual.

"Rei, you look... You are just..." Strangely, Minako seemed out of words.

"I know, I'm ridiculous in this dress... and with this makeup on. Ugh! For someone who used to fight in high heels, I don't even know how to walk in them anymore, but I..." Rei's voice trailed off and she suddenly felt very shy to admit to Minako that she wanted to look pretty for her.

The idol walked over to where Rei was standing and delicately used her fingers to raise the miko's chin. "You have never been so beautiful, Rei." She said sincerely and, just as expected, Rei blushed at the compliment.

"T-Thank you. You too... You look... stunning." Rei seemed truly impressed and Minako felt her heart flutter. They kept on gazing at each other for a moment, but soon Rei broke the silence. "So... where are we going?"

"Well, I had thought of taking you to dinner, but…" Minako smiled and she had an impish look on her face, "I've just changed my mind."

"Really? Why?" Rei asked curiously.

"Because you look so dazzling tonight that I want to keep you all to myself." Minako winked playfully, taking Rei's hand and dragging her out of the room. "Now come on, let's not waste any time! I want to make the most of it!"

* * *

"So this is what a date is like..." Rei stated amused, an eyebrow raised at Minako.

"You can't blame me for being original, can you?" Minako laughed, then she asked softly. "What did you expect anyway, Reiko?"

"Well, when it comes to you, I know I can expect anything. But I never thought a date with you would mean playing ping-pong in your hotel room while waiting for Chinese delivery." Rei smiled, placing the racket over the table. Actually, she was happy to have some alone time with Minako, which would have been impossible had they gone to a public place. Plus, she was somewhat relieved that she wouldn't need to wear those high heels all night long.

So Rei was there, bare feet, her hair slightly messed up and a huge smile on her face, though she had just lost the match.

Minako felt her heart warm at that sight. She always loved Rei's smile, especially when it was directed at her. The miko had never looked so beautiful in the idol's opinion.

"I like playing ping-pong and I like Chinese food. Is that a problem?" She asked, feigning annoyance, then she blinked a couple of times as she realized what Rei had just implied. "Hey, wait a minute... You said 'so _this is what a date is like'._ So... you really didn't know what a date was like, Reiko?"

"Uh... no." The miko admitted shyly. "This is the first time I go out on a date."

"Oh..." Minako muttered, stunned. In fact, she knew Rei had never been interested in relationships, but she wondered for a brief second how many suitors a girl as beautiful as Rei had declined before agreeing on going on a date with her, Aino Minako. "Well, I'm glad your first date was with me. I feel truly honored." Minako said sincerely, but then she stared somewhat mischievously at Rei and she spoke in a suggestive voice. "Actually, you'll make me very happy if you let me be your first in _everything_, Reiko."

"Minako!" Rei looked mortified. "Y-You- and me- we-"

The idol laughed out loud. "If only you knew how adorable you look when you get all flustered, blushing and stumbling over the words."

Then, still with a smile on her face, she reached for Rei's hand and stared intently at her.

"I meant what I said, Rei. I want to be your first in everything. But," Minako said the last word at the same time that she placed one finger on Rei's lips, preventing the miko from protesting, grumbling or fainting out of embarrassment, "I don't want to rush into things. Nothing will happen until we feel secure and comfortable about it. And I certainly don't think it's going to happen tonight. I know it takes time... and I don't mind waiting. I want everything to be perfect. So if I make a joke like this, please don't feel like I'm pushing you, because I'm not. I would never do that."

"T-Thank you." Rei whispered gratefully, lowering her head a little. "I know that you are not used to taking things so slow and I appreciate it."

"Uh... Why wouldn't I be?" Minako asked, confused.

Rei shifted nervously on her feet. She would rather avoid the subject, but if she was really going to date Minako, it would be better if she knew her completely... this particular unpleasant topic included.

"I've read some things about, uh... about your... sex life." Rei's voice trailed off at the last two words.

Minako widened her eyes and parted her lips, clearly surprised. Then, after a moment of astonishment, she burst into laughter, leaving Rei completely confused and somewhat annoyed.

"What?!" Rei asked with a scowl. "I was curious, so I read those magazines."

"Reiko..." Minako said softly and she smiled, reaching for the miko's hand. "If you had told me that you still believed in Santa, I wouldn't be as shocked as I am to know that you actually believed whatever you read about me in those lame magazines. If you really wanted to know about my _sex life,_ then why didn't you just ask me?"

"Well, I thought of asking you, but... I didn't know if I would like the answer..." Rei said above a whisper, feeling silly for being so jealous of Minako's past.

"I think you will be disappointed to hear the truth, indeed, but here it goes:" Minako playfully cleared her throat and made a dramatic pause, "my first kiss was when I was 14. He was a very sweet guy, a little older than me, and he was definitely very, very handsome. His name was Toshio. But I must confess that I was so nervous, that we had to redo the scene four times before the director thought it was good enough." Minako laughed as she saw Rei's dumbfounded expression. "See... I knew you would be disappointed to hear that my first kiss was with an actor during the shootings for my first movie. And please don't tell anyone, but Toshio is also... gay. Yeah... so much for the Senshi of Love, uh?"

"That was certainly unexpected..." Rei stated weakly after a moment.

"Anyway... I kissed three more guys after that. Two were for another movie and the third one was for a commercial I shot last month." Minako grimaced at the thought. "One of these guys smelled like cigarette and another one tried to stick his tongue in my mouth. It was gross. And, after that, I made Sacho promise me I would have the final word whenever the job required me kissing someone." Minako smiled innocently at Rei as she finished her narrative. "So this resumes Aino Minako's hot, sexy, busy love life. Please don't tell anyone; it would certainly ruin my reputation."

"So you never..." Rei stopped mid-sentence. "But why? It's not like you don't have any suitors, right? I bet lots of people would give a limb to be here with you tonight. And... you are the Senshi of Love, are you not? You are Venus! So I thought... I thought that you-"

"First... why would I want to trade a date for a limb?! What would I do with a limb?" Minako asked with mock confusion, cutting Rei off. "Second... yes, I'm the Senshi of _Love_. Not the Senshi of Lust nor the Senshi of Sex, Reiko. Love is important to me. I would never have a relationship with anyone based on something rather than love."

"Minako, I-" Rei was clearly ashamed for her prior assumptions. "I'm sorry. I guess I just-"

"That's okay." Minako said, placing a finger on Rei's lips again, silencing her. "I've always worked too much to have time for a relationship, but, to be honest, Reiko… after I met you, I never... well, I couldn't think of anyone else." Minako smiled and she blushed slightly for her little confession. "So... as you can see, this is as new to me as it is to you. I also need some time to adjust and that's why I think we should take it slow. There's no rush."

"You are right..." Rei smiled, feeling extremely relieved after hearing Minako's words. "I do think it would be nice to take things slow."

Minako kept on staring lovingly at Rei, and she changed the subject without even noticing it. "Have I mentioned how beautiful you are tonight?" The idol asked, unable to take her eyes off the other girl. She was so naturally alluring and Minako was completely captivated by her.

"Yes, you have..." Rei smiled demurely, "but it's always good to hear this kind of thing... from you, at least."

"I'll keep that in mind." Minako stated, then she caressed Rei's cheeks with the back of her fingers. "Ever since I saw you tonight, I can't take this song out of my head, you know?"

"Which song?" Rei whispered, feeling her body react to Minako's soft touch.

"If you dance with me, I can sing it for you." Minako whispered back as she wrapped her arms around Rei's neck and brought her lips close to her ear.

Rei shivered as she felt Minako's warm breath teasing neck. "I- I don't know how to dance..."

"Just follow me and you'll be fine." Minako replied and she smiled as she felt Rei's hands tentatively wrapping around her waist. Minako really didn't mind taking things slow, but she was glad Rei wasn't turning down her small advances.

And so Minako began to sing, her sweet voice caressing Rei's ears.

"_Someday, when I'm awfully low  
__When the world is cold  
__I will feel a glow just thinking of you  
__And the way you look tonight"_

With a deep blush on her cheeks, Rei stared at Minako, thrilled.

"_You're so lovely, with your smile so warm  
__And your cheeks so soft  
__There is nothing for me but to love you  
__And the way you look tonight"_

"Mina..." Rei whispered her name, feeling rather emotional when she recognized that song: it was one of the songs her mother used to sing.

"_With each word your tenderness grows  
__Tearing my fears apart  
__And that laugh that wrinkles your nose  
__Touches my foolish heart"_

Minako kept on singing, watching Rei getting closer and closer to her. The miko's hands here now on her back, keeping their bodies pressed together. Minako even had to try and concentrate more to be able to finish the song.

"_Yes you're lovely, never ever change  
Keep that breathless charm  
Won't you please arrange it?  
'Cause I love you  
Just the way you look tonight... just the way you look tonight."_

By the time Minako sang the last verse, Rei was already with her eyes closed, slowly leaning towards her lips.

Then a noise broke the moment.

"Damn it." Minako whispered half-annoyed, half-amused when the intercom ring interrupted what would have been their first kiss. "If I wasn't so hungry, I would suggest that we just ignored it."

"I would love to, but... I'm also starving." Rei declared with a cute smile and she watched as Minako sighed dramatically and went to answer the intercom.

* * *

They ate their food and talked cheerfully about their lives for hours. Minako told Rei about her work, her plans for her next album and every place that she had been to while she was traveling around the world. Rei, on the other hand, talked about the steps that she still had to take to become a High Priestess and her social work, which Minako found really admirable.

But, unfortunately, it was getting late and Rei had to go back to the shrine. The miko had postponed her departure as long as she could, for she honestly didn't want the night to end, but her superiors would certainly find it weird if she came back in the middle of the night... or even tomorrow morning wearing the same clothes.

Minako obviously had thought of asking Rei to spend the night, but she didn't want to sound like she was pushing her. Instead, she had just begged Rei to let her driver take her back to the shrine, which Rei accepted somewhat reluctantly.

So there they were, at the door of Minako's hotel room, holding each other's hands, neither of them willing to let it go.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation, Rei." Minako smiled sweetly. "I had a great time tonight."

"So did I. You're actually very nice... when you are not teasing or embarrassing me." Rei grumbled the last sentence and Minako laughed out loud.

"I can't help it. You know I love to see you blush." Minako giggled, but then her expression was somewhat disappointed when she felt Rei letting go of her hand. She instantly realized how much she would miss her touch.

"Just so you know, I'm ignoring your last remark." Rei stated and she took a step back. "Goodnight, Mina."

Minako was standing there, feeling incredibly nervous, wondering if she should just act on her feelings and kiss Rei before she left, but then she told herself that she would let Rei dictate their pace. So, with a barely noticeable sigh, Minako said goodbye and watched as Rei walked away.

"Uh... Mina?" Rei was only five steps away when she turned on her heels and stared at the idol.

"Yes, Rei?" Minako asked curiously.

So the miko walked over to where Minako was standing and stared at her with such intensity that Minako began to feel it hard to breathe. Slowly, Rei cupped Minako's cheek in her right hand, closing her eyes and taking a moment to relish the feeling of the idol's skin on hers. Minako was stunned, silently watching Rei touching her face so delicately, almost reverently. And then, Rei's hand slowly slid to the back of Minako's nape, making the idol shiver in expectation.

It was clear that Rei was nervous, maybe even more than Minako was, but, much to her credit, the miko didn't falter. She glanced at the idol's mouth and Minako felt her knees weakening as her empathic powers sensed what Rei was feeling.

_Desire._

Taking one last look at Minako's eyes, Rei closed hers again and slowly leaned forward. As she kissed Minako, Rei felt the other girl's trembling lips softly caressing hers. Then, with a sense of elation they had never before experienced, both turned the soft, almost chaste kiss into a deep, passionate one.

Acting so differently from the shy and inexperienced girl she was, Rei tightened her embrace, pressing their bodies together and feeling an unexpected pleasure as she heard Minako moaning low in her throat. As the kiss went on, Rei could feel Minako's fingers rhythmically gripping against her hips as both girls tasted and felt each other for the first time.

They didn't know how many minutes had passed by the time Rei took the initiative to break the kiss, watching with small amusement how Minako's mouth tried to follow her own.

Their lips were still very close, almost to the point of touching, and neither of them was willing to leave each other's arms.

Minako was dazed and rather amazed as she realized that she had never felt so aroused before.

"I'm clearly not familiar with this dating thing," Rei panted, "but I guess this is the way a perfect date is supposed to end, right?"

"R-Right..." Minako panted back and she could feel her cheeks burning under Rei's stare. "That was... great. Awesome. Actually... could you do it again?"

Rei laughed at Minako's request, finding her dazed expression incredibly endearing. "It's getting late and I really should get going. Your poor driver is waiting for me for God knows how long, but... what if I do it again tomorrow night?"

"Oh, Reiko?" Minako smiled with mock surprise, apparently having already regained her composure. "Have I heard it right? Are you really asking me on a date?"

"Uh, I am..." Rei admitted, wondering if that warm sensation on her cheeks was for the kiss or for she had just asked Minako out. "I mean... if you are free tomorrow night and-"

"To hell with my schedule! If you are doing this again tomorrow, I'm officially giving me the night off!" Minako said with a large grin on her face, not attempting to hide her excitement. "May I pick you up tomorrow at 7 pm again?"

"No. _I'm the one _who will pick you up tomorrow at 7 pm. Be ready and wear something comfortable. I honestly can't put up with two nights in a row wearing high heels." Rei said before she leaned forward to give Minako a quick kiss on the lips. "See you tomorrow, Mina."

"See you tomorrow, Reiko." Minako breathed, leaning on the doorframe as she watched Rei getting in the elevator. Their eyes lingered on each other until the door closed and Minako sighed as she thought that she would have to wait almost a whole day so she could be with Rei again.

As she got inside her hotel room and closed the door behind her back, Minako touched her lips with the tip of her fingers, wondering how she was supposed to take things slow if Rei was going to keep on kissing her _that _way.

* * *

**Author's note:**

I was playing "The Way You Look Tonight" on my piano (Rod Stewart's version in G Major), which is one of my favorite songs ever and this is where the inspiration came from.

I think this song was originally recorded by Frank Sinatra, by the way.


	4. Can I Call You My Girlfriend?

**Author's note:**

I'm developing Rei and Minako's relationship before things start to happen, so I hope you don't mind the slow pace. But don't worry... next chapter there will be some news.

* * *

**CHAPTER 4 - Can I Call You My Girlfriend?**

"So..." Artemis began to talk, staring at Minako warily. Since the day before, the girl had been acting so secretive and now he had no idea why she was with that silly smile plastered on her face. "What was so important that I had to go to Usagi and Mamoru's last night and leave you all alone?"

Minako said no words. Instead, she just smiled blissfully and took the plush cat in her arms, spinning around the room as if she was dancing.

"Minako! Stop it! I'm getting dizzy!" Artemis yelled, closing his eyes tightly.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She giggled and then she put him on the desk, throwing herself on the bed. "It's just that I'm so happy, Artemis! I don't think I've ever been this happy before!"

"May I know the cause of this sudden happiness?" He asked a little moody, feeling somewhat left aside. It was not like Minako to keep secrets from him.

The idol raised her head to stare directly at him and she replied with an impish smile. "I had a date last night."

"A date?!" The cat cried out, perplexed. "With who?"

Minako giggled even more at Artemis' almost hysterical reaction. "With Reiko, silly."

"Mars?! You and Mars?!" He widened his eyes in surprise, then he frowned. "But I don't understand... why didn't you just tell me?! You didn't need to hide something like this from me! I would be happy for you, you know?" He grumbled, turning his face away from the idol.

"Oh, don't be like this!" Minako cooed sweetly. "It's just that if I had told you, you would have told Luna and Luna would have told Usagi, who would have told everyone. And I wanted to see how things would go between Rei and me before it became public. But if it makes you feel better, you are the first one to know."

"Actually, you do have a point..." Artemis agreed, knowing that Usagi would never be able to keep a secret like this and he certainly wouldn't be able to keep this from Luna either. Then Artemis softened his tone as he looked at Minako again. "So... how was it?"

"Oh, Artemis! It was even better than I thought it would be! She looked so beautiful and we had so much fun together! And then... when she was about to go home, she... kissed me." Minako whispered dreamily, closing her eyes for a brief second, remembering the taste of Rei's lips.

"Wow! A real kiss?! So I see you two have definitely improved in this lifetime." He chuckled, then he meowed as Minako threw a pillow at him. "I'm just kidding! There was no need to use violence! But, anyway, has she regained the memories of her past life? The ones regarding you and her?"

"No..." Minako answered with a frown. "She doesn't remember our platonic love in our past life. But that's okay; this way I know that she's not returning my feelings only because we wasted our opportunity back then."

"What about you? Aren't you concerned that your feelings for Rei are just a reflection of Venus' feelings for Mars?" Artemis asked, raising an eyebrow.

Minako then shook her head negatively. "No. When I first started to regain Venus' memories regarding Mars, I was already in love with Rei. And, to be honest, Artemis... I think I fell for her the day we met."

"Oh, yes, I remember that. After you two met, you would always get all flustered whenever Mars was around." He teased and this time he could avoid being hit by the second pillow Minako threw at him.

"I _so_ would not, you little liar!" She declared, feigning annoyance. "It's just that... she used to intrigue me, to question me, to defy me, all at the same time, and that was really disturbing."

"I remember having a conversation like this one, back in the Silver Millennium, with a very confused Venus." Artemis added and then he chuckled, especially when he saw Minako rolling her eyes at him. "So... this means that now you two are in a relationship?"

"Well, I hope so! She even asked me to go on a date with her tonight!" Minako said with a huge smile, unable to hold her excitement. "But let me talk to Rei first. I want to know if that's okay to start spreading the news."

"Sure." Artemis nodded, watching as Minako reached for her purse and walked towards the door.

"I have to go now." She was already late for her meeting and she didn't want to give Sacho a reason to keep her working late. "I talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay..." He said, then, he smiled and called for her again. "Hey, Minako?" Artemis waited until the idol turned around to face him with a curious look on her face. "I just want you to know that I'm happy for you. For both of you."

"Thank you, Artemis." She said sincerely and blew him a kiss before she walked out of the room.

* * *

At the Hikawa Shrine, everyone was rather stunned by Rei's cheerful mood. One of the priests could even swear that he had seen the young miko practically dancing while sweeping the floor. Rei was talkative, smiling brightly at everyone and sighing while daydreaming. Wondering if she was feeling ill or something, her superior had even given her the rest of the day off.

And Rei was very thankful for that. She actually couldn't concentrate on anything but Minako. For over a thousand times, literally, the miko had relived the memory of their first kiss and what it felt like to hold the girl in her arms. Whenever she closed her eyes, Rei could even feel Minako's pleasant scent and the warmth of her skin on hers.

She had never felt so happy in her whole life.

And tonight Rei would take Minako to a place that wasn't exactly a place for a date, but it had a beautiful view and it was meaningful to her. She just hoped Minako would like it too.

So at the time scheduled, she was at the hotel lobby, waiting for Minako to come down. She was feeling rather anxious, but once she noticed the idol walking towards her, wearing a sweater, jeans and snickers, along with her usual cap, Rei even forgot how to breathe. Simple as that, Minako looked so beautiful.

"Reiko..." She leaned forward and gave a quick kiss on Rei's cheeks, keeping somewhat distant from the other girl. Rei was slightly disappointed for a brief second, but the idol soon explained. "I wanted to give you a different kind of kiss, you know... But I think you wouldn't be so thrilled to see your face on the cover of the magazines tomorrow, would you?" She discreetly motioned to a guy with a camera in his hands.

"Oh..." Rei blinked a couple of times. "I hadn't noticed he was a reporter."

"After all these years, I think I've developed a sixth sense that helps me to track them." Minako shrugged, then she interlocked her arm with Rei's. "Shall we go?"

And soon they were out of the hotel lobby.

* * *

When the taxi pulled over, Minako frowned as she noticed the sumptuous commercial building. Rei just smiled and took her hand, pressing the top floor button once they got into the elevator.

It seemed like an eternity until it reached its destination. Minako wanted to ask Rei what they were doing there, but she decided to remain silent and wait for the outcome.

Meanwhile, Rei took a key from her purse and opened the door.

It was a very elegant place, beautifully decorated. On the top of a large desk, there was a picture of a stunning young woman with a cute little girl in her arms. Taking another look at the shelf behind the desk, Minako saw a picture of Rei wearing her catholic school uniform. Then she stared at the senshi of fire and raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"This is my father's office." Rei said as she locked the door. "I've been working here with him lately, helping him with his charity works. He and I are getting along better and I'm glad his trying to help others using his political influence. He's not as heartless as I thought he was." She chuckled to herself.

"Oh! You wanted me to meet him?!" Minako blinked, obviously surprised. "Well, I guess we are late, since there's no one-"

"Actually, I knew that by now there wouldn't be anyone around. That's why I brought you here. There's something I want to show you." Rei said softly as opened another door and motioned to Minako to get in.

It was a conference room with a large table and several chairs, carefully decorated just like the main room. But the most impressive thing was the breathtaking view that they could take in through the glass wall. Minako instinctively got closer and touched the cold glass with the tip of her fingers, mesmerized.

"Wow..." She breathed, staring at the city below. The lights were sparkling bright and it was absolutely beautiful.

Rei positioned herself behind Minako and wrapped her arms around her waist. She was grateful the idol couldn't see her face flushing for her bold attitude. Minako was startled at first, but then she relaxed herself and leaned her back against Rei's front, basking in her warmth while gazing at the magnificent view.

"Did you like it?" Rei asked after a brief moment and there was a trace of anxiety in her voice.

"I loved it! The city looks amazing from up here, Rei!" Minako replied excitedly.

"When I was little, my mother would always pick me up at school and we would wait in here for my father to finish his work so we could go home together. Sometimes it would take him hours to be ready to go, so my mother would order us pizza and we would eat it while watching the city lights below as well as the stars above." Rei said with a longing smile. "You know, my mother loved that song that you sang to me yesterday. When I heard it, it instantly reminded me of her. So... I just wanted to bring you here, because I have so many memories of my mother in this place and I... I wished she could have met you." Shyly, she added the last words.

Minako seemed truly thrilled by Rei's statement. "Do you... do you think that she would have liked me?" She asked quietly.

Rei rested her chin on Minako's shoulder, and she was looking out of the window as she answered. "I'm sure she would have loved you." She whispered sincerely and she didn't need to look at Minako to know that the girl was smiling.

They stood there in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, then Minako turned around in Rei's embrace and looked her in the eyes. "What do you say we order some pizza? Just like you and your mother used to do?"

There was a sparkle in Rei's eyes as she looked at Minako. "You have just read my mind. I would love to."

* * *

After two slices of vegetarian pizza, Rei was chuckling, watching a very happy Minako devouring a slice of chocolate pizza as a child would do.

"What?!" Minako asked curiously with her mouth still full. She was sitting on the carpet right beside Rei, the pizza box placed in front of them.

Rei chuckled again as she answered. "You have chocolate all over your face."

The idol tried to reach for a napkin, only to be stopped by Rei, who held her hand in the air. Minako's eyes searched for Rei's and her breath caught in her throat when the miko let go of her hand and leaned forward to kiss her on the mouth.

Then, with eyes still closed, Minako smiled against Rei's lips when she noticed that Rei was, in fact, cleaning the chocolate off her face.

"Mmm, Reiko..." Minako purred, "I can think of a couple of places to put chocolate on, only to have you lick-"

"Minako!" Rei jumped and cried out, horrified. Then, noticing that the idol had just burst into laughter, the miko rolled her eyes, wondering if she would ever get used to Minako's mischievous behavior. "You're impossible, you know?"

"I know." Minako grinned, then she moved closer to Rei. "Hey, Reiko... I need to ask you something." The young miko just looked at her curiously, waiting for her to go on. "I want to know if that's okay to tell the others about us."

"By _the others_ you mean Usagi, Makoto and Ami?" Rei asked, not surprised by Minako's question.

The idol nodded. "And Luna, Mamoru, Nephrite and Motoki. I hope you don't mind, but I told Artemis this morning."

Rei chuckled. She knew Minako could never keep secrets from her guardian. "No, I don't mind at all. Actually, it will be a good thing, because it means that I won't have to put up with Makoto's endless teasing and Usagi's not so subtle innuendos anymore."

Minako caressed Rei's cheek and she couldn't hold back a smile. "So this means that I can call you my girlfriend?"

"Yes, I guess you-" But Rei couldn't finish the sentence, since the air was knocked out of her when an overjoyed idol threw herself in her arms, pressing their lips together.

After she broke the kiss, Minako stood on top of Rei, just looking lovingly at her. With her hair slightly messed up, cheeks flushed and a cute smile on her face, Minako had captured Rei's attention completely.

_No wonder why she is called the Senshi of Beauty. She's perfect in every way._ Rei thought as she gazed back at her girlfriend.

"I love you." Minako uttered those words so easily, yet with such sincerity, that they made Rei's heart skip several beats. "Please don't think I don't mean it, since we've been together for only two days... But I've been in love with you for years, Rei, so I know what I'm talking about." Minako then noticed Rei's stunned expression and playfully poked the tip of the miko's nose with her index finger. "Geez, I just wanted you to know, not to scare you to death!"

Rei opened and closed her mouth several times. "It's just that..." But her voice trailed off and then she closed her eyes tightly, holding the idol firmly in her arms.

"Hey, what's the matter, Reiko? You don't need to force yourself to tell me the same, you know?" Minako said softly, trying to soothe her.

"It's not that." Rei whispered and she saw Minako positioning herself so she could stare her in the eye. "My mother was the only one who ever said that to me and she's... dead. Until I met you, she had been the only person that I ever loved and I lost her. The thought of losing you just terrified me, now that we... now that you and me..."

"You'll never lose me. I will always be with you, Rei, no matter what." Minako stated firmly. Then she smiled and rested her cheek on Rei's chest. "Just like Venus was in love with Mars in the Silver Millennium, I'm in love with you in this lifetime. And I know that, in a future life, we will find each other and we will fall in love again."

"Wow... Venus and Mars?!" Rei asked after a moment of wonder, watching as Minako nodded affirmatively. "I see. Now I know why you were so obsessed with our past life." She teased and laughed as Minako playfully pinched her arm.

"Just so you know, I started to regain these memories after our battle with Mio, meaning, two years after we met. So, my so called obsession with our past life had nothing to do with Mars and Venus." Minako declared with feigned indignation. "Back in the Silver Millennium, you and I were in love, indeed, but nothing happened because I was too afraid that a relationship between two senshi would compromise Serenity's safety. Anyway, in this lifetime, I fell in love with you even before I regained Venus' memories about Mars, so I guess what happened, or rather _didn't happen,_ a thousand years ago doesn't really matter, right?" Minako noticed Rei smiling and nodding in agreement. "And you know what? I think our souls will always look for each other, no matter how many times we die and reborn again. We are meant to be, Reiko."

Rei seemed thoughtful for a moment, but soon her expression turned into a soft smile. "I guess you're right. I'm pretty sure you would make me fall in love with you again, in a future life." She said and Minako felt her heart flutter.

"I hope so, Reiko." She whispered sincerely, still with her head on Rei's chest. Then, a yawn escaped her lips, but that didn't go unnoticed by the miko.

"Come on, let me take you back to your hotel. It's getting late and I know you had a busy day. You must be exhausted." Rei said while running her fingers through Minako's dark hair.

"I am. But guess what: in a few days, you won't have to take me to my hotel; you will take me to my own apartment. I'm buying one." Minako yawned again as she forced herself to leave Rei's embrace and rise from the floor, helping Rei to her feet. "Since I'll be around for the next months, I want to settle down. I'm tired of hotel rooms and I don't want to worry about paparazzi when I'm with you. We will have more privacy then."

"I think it will be great." Rei stated as she put the pizza boxes in the trashcan and made sure that her father's office was all clean. Then she stared at Minako and interlocked their fingers, so they could walk out the room. But before Rei could open the door, Minako gently tugged her close, stared deep in her eyes and gave her a soft kiss. It lasted only for a few seconds, but it was enough to make Rei feel butterflies in her stomach.

"Thank you, Rei..." Minako said, her eyes sparkling at the girl before her, "for bringing me here... and for sharing your memories and your fears with me. I know that you're making an effort to open up to me, giving your relationships issues. I want you to know that I appreciate it and I will never disappoint you."

"I trust you, Mina." Rei stated sincerely, softly pressing her forehead against Minako's. And then they kissed one last time before they left the building.


	5. Now They Know

**CHAPTER 5 – Now They Know**

"Mina?" Rei was a bit restless, standing next to the counter in their secret place at the Arcade. Minako, who had just finished a call on her cell phone, looked at her curiously and, with a raise of her eyebrow, she encouraged Rei to go on. "It's just that... Well, I think this is weird... Are we just going to wait for them to arrive and then we announce that we are together now? Simple as that?"

Minako chuckled at her girlfriend while approaching her. "Unless you want me to kiss you in front of them and let them take their own conclusions, yes... that's exactly what we are going to do. But don't you worry, Reiko. I know they will be happy for us." Minako stated reassuringly, wrapping her arms around Rei's neck.

Their eyes locked together and Rei's heart warmed at the way Minako was staring at her. The flame that constantly burned inside of her would always turn into an inferno whenever Minako got this close. So Rei instinctively wrapped her arms around the idol's waist and rested her hands on the small of Minako's back, pulling her against her body.

Minako closed her eyes and smiled impishly. "You know..." Her voice came out as a purr, "I always get this funny feeling in my tummy when you hold me like this. And when you kiss me..."

Rei felt her face flush, but the words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. "What happens... when I, uh, kiss you?"

"When you kiss me, Reiko..." Minako opened her eyes and stared lustfully at her girlfriend. She brought her lips closer to Rei's, who shrived as she felt Minako's warm breath teasing her. "This funny feeling goes to another place."

"R-Really?" Rei gulped and she was already breathing heavier, her lips incredibly dry. "Where does this… funny feeling go?"

Minako smirked and she moved so she could whisper the answer in Rei's ear. She felt the grip around her waist tightening as the miko heard those words and, when she glanced at Rei's face to see her reaction, she found herself blushing at what she saw in her girlfriend's eyes.

Desire... so much that it seemed that Rei would take her right there against the counter. And that thought alone made the idol feel her body heating while butterflies danced wildly in her stomach.

Minako wondered if she would ever get used to that amazing feeling. She absolutely loved when she could make the shy miko lose control over her actions like she was doing now. It seemed all those years of training and meditation had proved to be useless, because Rei's body would move on its own accord when she was around the idol. And, much to Minako's delight, Rei was actually a very fiery, passionate girlfriend, despite her usual stoic attitude.

So it didn't take long until Minako felt Rei's lips on hers in a searing kiss, to which she surrendered immediately. And a couple of minutes later, when they broke the kiss, their lips were lightly touching when Minako panted. "As much as I hate saying this, I think we should stop... they should be here any minute."

"Are you talking about us or are you expecting someone else?" A cheerful, and somewhat mischievous voice drew Rei and Minako's attention to the stairs.

They gawked at Makoto, who was wearing an impish smile on her face, while covering Usagi's mouth with one of her hands. The Moon Princess' eyes were almost bugging out of her head and Ami, who was right beside them, was with a cute blush on her cheeks after witnessing their tryst.

So Makoto went on. "I always knew you two were close, but I never expected to actually see just _how close_. Anyway, that was an amazing kiss... so intense, yet so romantic! I guess that that's what happens when you put Love and Passion together, right?"

Minako giggled, while Rei seemed about to die out of embarrassment.

"How long have you been here?" The idol asked, amused.

Usagi was frantically trying to speak, waving her hands madly in the air, when Makoto realized she was still covering the princess' mouth. "Oh, sorry, Usagi." The Senshi of a Thunder said, letting her go. "It's just that you would have screamed out of surprise, hadn't I stopped you."

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God! You are really together!" Usagi squealed in a high-pitched voice, making Rei wince. Then the Moon Princess threw herself in Rei and Minako's arms and hugged them at the same time. "I can't believe it! This is awesome!"

"And answering your question," Ami adjusted her glasses and spoke for the first time, looking directly at Minako, "we got in right before you began to talk about, uh... funny feelings."

"Oh, yes, Rei..." Makoto narrowed her eyes at the miko, asking her teasingly, "what did Minako whisper in your ear? I'm curious to know the answer."

Rei crossed her arms over her chest and grumbled something like "none of your business", avoiding Makoto's stare while her cheeks turned obscenely red.

Minako laughed again, moving so she could hug Rei from behind, while Usagi kept on staring at the new couple, mesmerized.

"Yes, we are together." The idol stated proudly, placing a kiss on Rei's cheeks. "We called you here so we could tell you that, but it seems words aren't necessary."

"Oh, please! That kiss spoke volumes!" Makoto declared, making Ami and Usagi chuckle. Then Makoto looked at Minako and Rei and, this time, she smiled sincerely at them. "I bet I speak for all of us when I say we are happy for you two!"

Usagi nodded cheerfully. "But I don't know what took you so long to get together! That should have happened years ago! I always thought you guys were perfect for each other!"

"It was pretty obvious that, eventually, this would happen. It took longer than we thought, though." Ami added, smiling adorably at them. "Anyway, as they say... better late than never, right? Congratulations!"

"Thank you, guys." Minako said sincerely, then, suddenly, she widened her eyes when she recalled her meeting with her manager. "Damn it. I'm already late." She groaned, glancing at her watch. "Sacho is going to kill me! Or worse! He's probably going to make me work late tonight!"

"Oh, Minako! Are you going to tell him about you and Rei?" Usagi asked, giggling. "If so, could you please record his reaction? I bet it will be priceless!"

"If he spots a camera, he will think it's one of my pranks and he will never believe me." Minako chuckled as she tried to imagine Sacho's reaction to the news about her relationship with her best friend.

"Then take Rei with you. If he does not believe your words, you can ask Rei to kiss you the way she just did here. There's no way Sacho won't believe you... Rei can be pretty convincing, you know?" Makoto suggested playfully while Rei snorted at her.

"And you can be pretty annoying, you know?" The miko grumbled, but she softened when she felt Minako gently cupping her cheeks in her hands.

"Don't let her get to you, Reiko. At least, not when I'm not here to see you blush out of embarrassment. You know I love when you get all flustered." The idol giggled as she saw Rei rolling her eyes, then Minako stared longingly at her girlfriend. It still amazed her how beautiful the young shrine maiden was. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too. See you later?" Rei asked softly, placing a strand of hair behind Minako's ear.

"I can hardly wait." Minako smiled, leaning forward to give Rei a quick kiss on the lips. But, instinctively willing to make it last a bit longer, Rei held the girl in her arms and met Minako's lips again in a more passionate way. The idol widened her eyes, surprised by Rei's open display of affection in front of their friends, but... since she wasn't one for complaining, she quickly returned the kiss.

"Apparently they get easily distracted with each other." Ami noted shyly, diverting her stare from the couple.

"You should transform into Sailor Mercury and throw cold water on them." Makoto placed a hand on her chin as she spoke, feigning a thoughtful expression. "It seems they can't take their hands off each other and Usagi is way too innocent to witness two girls getting it on."

"Hey! I'm not that innocent!" Usagi whined in her defense. "I'm already married! I know how things work. I mean, not between two girls, but... anyway. It's not that different, is it?"

Rei broke the kiss and snorted at other girls before she noticed a giggling Minako. Again, the miko softened her expression at the sight of her girlfriend. She simply loved the way Minako laughed; her eyes barely opened and a carefree expression on her face.

"Will you be alright? I'm beginning to think you won't put up with all the teasing." Minako asked, still smiling adorably at Rei.

"May I set Makoto on fire, if I get fed up with her?" Rei returned the question in a feigned serious tone.

"I heard that, pyro!" Makoto cut in, then she turned to Minako. "Don't you worry. We will take good care of your precious girlfriend."

"I hope so!" Minako gave a soft kiss on Rei's cheeks and, while she was running up the stairs, she cried out. "Try not to kill each other, okay? For personal reasons, I need Rei very much alive." She stated suggestively, winking as she glanced at her friends one last time. Her lips unconsciously curled into a smile when she noticed that familiar shade of pink on Rei's cheeks.

It seemed the miko had understood exactly what she meant.

* * *

"And here I thought I was late! What are you still doing here, lazy? You were supposed to be at-" Minako said cheerfully as she got in Saitou's office, but she stopped talking and frowned when she noticed he was pathetically trying to hide a piece of paper after he had heard her voice. "What are you doing, Sacho?" She asked seriously. "What is that?"

"Oh, this?" The manager stammered, trying to sound as normal as possible. "It's nothing. It's just... my lab results! Yes! And, you know, you should stop giving me candies, missy, because my sugar level is too high and it's all your fault!" He laughed nervously, silently hoping that Minako would buy that lame excuse.

The pop idol stared at him warily and she didn't need her empathic powers to notice he was hiding something from her, or rather trying to. "Is that all? You are not sick or something, are you?"

Saitou smiled at her, touched to see that Minako was truly worried about him. "No, silly! I'm fine! It's nothing, really." Then he decided a change in subject was the best course of action. "So... you wanted to talk to me?"

Minako thought of Rei and she smiled to herself, soon forgetting about Sacho's odd behavior. "Yes! I have some news for you!" She said excitedly, sitting on the chair in front of her manager, who raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"I thought so... You look strangely happy." Sacho noted slowly, wondering what could have caused that silly smile on Minako's lips. "So what's going on?"

Minako tried to hold her excitement, so she could focus on Sacho's reaction to what she was about to say.

"I'm dating someone." She proclaimed, watching as his eyes grew bigger and his jaw hang open comically.

"Oh, My God! Dating someone?! As in... a relationship?!" He cried out of surprise and Minako nodded her head to confirm he was right. Saitou got silent for a second, wondering how on Earth Minako had found the time to meet someone and fall in love since her schedule was busy as ever. Then, he placed his hand over his heart, feeling rather thrilled to see that his little girl wasn't so little anymore. "Oh, Minako, this is great! So who is the lucky-"

"-girl?" Minako finished the sentence for him, giggling as she saw him gawking at her. His eyes were so widened that, for one second, she thought they would even pop out of his head. "Come on, Sacho. You know Reiko."

"MARS REIKO?!" Sacho shrieked, jumping out of the chair. He kept on staring at Minako incredulously, his mouth opening and closing dramatically, but no sound coming out of it.

The idol was just patiently staring back at him with an eyebrow raised, trying hard not to burst into laughter when Sacho was acting so funny.

After a moment of awkward silence, the manager laughed out loud and waved his hand dismissively at her. "That was a good one! You almost got me, Minako! You and Reiko! Hahaha, that's-" But he stopped mid-sentence when he saw that Minako wasn't laughing back. "Oh, my God! You and Reiko… That's true! This is not a prank! You're being serious!"

Minako sighed, comfortably leaning back on her seat. "Finally. I thought I would have to take Makoto's suggestion so you would believe me."

"Suggestion? What suggestion?" Saitou frowned, confused.

"Oh, nothing. Never mind." She chuckled to herself. "Anyway, I just wanted you to know about it, especially because I don't want you to make me work like there was no tomorrow. I want to have some free time so I can be with Reiko."

Sacho gawked again. "Free time?! Are you out of your mind?! We are about to release a new album! We have deadlines! I can't just-"

"I know, I know. So keep me busy during the daylight, make me work twice as hard, but please let me have the nights off." Minako asked and when she noticed Sacho was opening his mouth to protest, she spoke again. "You know me. We've worked together for all these years. You know I've never complained about my schedule before and I've been working really hard since I was 12. I'm almost 20 now, Sacho. Can't you see this is the first time I'm feeling truly happy? This is the first time I'm in love and I want to be with Rei as much as I can."

As the penny really dropped, Saitou looked thoroughly at the idol and his expression was unreadable even to Minako. "You know… when it came to work, I thought you and me were alike, but now I see I was wrong."

Minako felt a lump in her throat as she heard those words. Sacho's opinion was important to her; he had practically raised her, looking after her like an old brother or even a father would do. She was about to argue, but Sacho didn't let her.

"And you know what? I'm glad you and I are that different. Because, unlike me, you are not hiding yourself behind your work. You are not denying who you are." He stated quietly. "I'm proud of you. I wish I had your courage, Minako."

"Sacho…" Minako parted her lips and muttered, stunned. It was not as if she had never known about him. Obviously, he had given many signs, but what Minako had never thought was that he had trouble to coming with terms with his sexuality. She had never seen him with anyone, indeed, but she had just assumed he was extremely discreet about it.

"I know it shouldn't bother me. I mean, this is the 21th century, right? But I grew up in a family that despised this kind of... thing. I think I'm still ashamed of myself, even though I know I shouldn't be." He admitted, lowering his head.

"There's absolutely nothing to be ashamed of." Minako rose from her chair and positioned herself behind his, resting her chin on his shoulder as she hugged him. "You should try some therapy. A professional could help you deal with it."

Saitou smiled sadly, caressing Minako's arms, which were wrapped around his neck. "You're right. But now I don't have the time for that. Now I have to deal with your schedule, so you can enjoy your... girlfriend. God! You and Mars Reiko... Who would have thought?!" He breathed, amazed, more to himself than to Minako. "How did you manage to break down her defenses, anyway? I always thought she was so aloof, so stoic... so... so idol material! The press would love her, I always told you that!"

"I agree with you, she would be great. But Reiko has never had any idol aspirations, so I really think you should just let it go." Minako chuckled, then she looked at him and smiled impishly. "Oh, and as for how I broke down her defenses... let's just say I have my ways... and they are awesome!"

"Oh, talk about confidence! Just get out of here before I start to ask for the details." Saitou said playfully and he felt his heart warm at the way Minako laughed. The girl seemed genuinely happy, like he had never seen before. Her joy was even infectious.

So Minako gave him a kiss on the cheek and she began to walk towards the door, but she turned around on her heels when she heard Sacho calling her name.

"Minako?" He removed his glasses and stared seriously at her. "You know I am happy for you, I truly am, but I have to ask you to be very discreet about it. I don't think this is the right time to let your relationship go public. You are about to release a new album and it would only draw more attention to your private life rather than your work. Besides, we have to think about the impact this will have on your career. I don't know if parents would be thrilled to know that their kids worship a girl who is openly in a lesbian relationship."

Minako frowned when she heard those words and she parted her lips to argue, but she just gave him a weak nod, leaving the room without saying another word. She didn't like the idea of hiding her relationship from the world, but maybe Sacho was right; she just needed to give it a better thought and later they would talk.

When Saitou found himself alone, he unfolded the piece of paper that was right in front of him, reading it again and again. "This is the third one..." He muttered, eyes narrowed and a worried expression on his face, "...I'm beginning to think this is not a joke."

Then he pressed the buttons on his cell phone and soon he heard a masculine voice on the other side of the line. "Yes, Mr. Sugao?"

"Could you come to my office, please? We need to discuss some serious matters."

Saitou didn't bother to wait for a response. He was too busy trying to figure out what to do.


	6. Not Exactly As Planned

**CHAPTER 6 – Not Exactly As Planned**

Minako was pacing around the room, anxious like never before. She and Rei started dating about a month ago and she had a feeling that tonight would be _the night_. But as much as she wanted that to happen, she was feeling a bit insecure about it. The idol had never been intimate with anyone before, so she didn't know exactly what to do and that terrified her. What if Rei found it weird? Or... what if she couldn't please Rei?

Minako then shook her head to get rid of those thoughts and she tried to calm herself down. She kept repeating mentally that she shouldn't worry that much about their first time, because she knew Rei wanted that to happen too, maybe as much as she wanted. In fact, she and Rei had been close to take their relationship to the next level a couple of times, but, much to their displeasure, every time someone ended up interrupting them when their kisses and caresses were getting more... intimate.

Once, it was because of Artemis. The poor cat was peacefully sleeping on the couch when two half-naked girls stumbled and fell onto him while making out. Rei's cheeks got bright red and Minako couldn't find words to apologize for almost crushing him to death. Artemis had just sighed and left the room, mumbling that from now on he had to find safer places to sleep. And, after that, even though Artemis was nowhere to be seen, Rei and Minako were too embarrassed to resume what they were doing before.

Then it was Usagi's turn to interrupt them, showing up at Minako's front door after she had a fight with Mamoru about some silly matter the idol couldn't quite recall right now.

But, most of the times, it would be her manager who would interrupt them, calling Minako on her cell phone at the most inappropriate hours to talk about business.

Well, but not tonight. Minako had made sure that tonight there wouldn't be any interruptions. She had sent Artemis over to Usagi's, she had told her friends not to show up at her front door unless the world was about to end and she had already turned off her cell phone.

So there she was, checking herself in the mirror for the umpteenth time. She was wondering if Rei would like this lingerie she had bought especially for that night. She blushed as she imagined her girlfriend taking it off, leaving her completely naked, only to cover her body with long, passionate kisses.

Trying to hold her excitement and chiding herself for being so naughty, Minako put her dress on and started to place the candles around the room. She knew Rei liked the fire and she wanted to create a romantic environment for them. She had waited for that night for so long and she wanted everything to be perfect. Minako felt her heart starting to beat faster and faster as she thought that, after a thousand years, she and Rei would finally-

So the bell rang, pulling Minako out of her thoughts and she tried hard not to hyperventilate. She ran to the front door and inhaled deeply. Minako took another look at herself and undid a button of her dress, just to show _a little bit more_ of her skin. The bell rang again, impatiently, and she promptly opened the door with a huge smile... but when she noticed who it was, her smile fell off her face.

"Sacho?! What are you doing here?!" She asked, perplexed, as the man simply walked inside, uninvited.

Saitou sat on the couch and put his papers on the center table, apparently ignoring Minako's annoyance. "You turned off your cell phone, missy, and I needed to talk to you about the interview you are giving tomorr- Hey, wow. You look gorgeous! What's the occasion?" He asked, taking off his glasses and staring directly at the idol for the first time.

"Rei is coming," she replied, still holding the door open, visibly impatient, "which means that you are leaving. I told you, I'm not working tonight!"

"But this is really import-"

"I don't care! Not tonight, Sacho!" She hissed and then she walked to where he was sitting, grabbing his arm and pulling him off the couch.

Sacho widened his eyes as he noticed that Minako was definitely stronger than he had ever thought.

"Tomorrow I'll deal with whatever you want me to deal!" She said as she shoved him towards the door.

Saitou could only blink in astonishment. "Hey, at least let me get my papers-"

"No. Take the rest of night off, Sacho. I'll give your papers tomorrow so you won't work tonight! See ya!" Minako sang in a forced cheerful voice, finally managing to kick him out of her apartment and slamming the door behind her back.

A few seconds later, though, the bell rang again.

"What now?!" Minako barked as she opened the door and she saw Rei standing there with an amused expression.

"Now I see why Sacho seemed so scared when he bumped into me. You look like you are about to murder someone." Rei noted, giggling as Minako sighed. Then Rei took a step forward, holding the idol close and whispering in her ear. "I missed you, Mina."

Minako smiled, soon forgetting about Saitou while clinging to Rei. "I missed you too. It's amazing how you make me feel better so easily, Reiko. I just need you here, in my arms." The idol said and she moved so she could stare at Rei. She felt that familiar sensation burning inside of her when their eyes met and that reminded her that she still had to light the candles in her bedroom for what would hopefully be the first of many nights they would spend together.

Holding Rei's hand, she guided them to the living room and asked if the miko could wait there for a minute. Rei knew Minako pretty well and she was positive sure the idol was plotting something, but, letting Minako have her way, she just smiled and gave her a quick kiss on the lips, sitting on the couch to wait for her girlfriend.

* * *

Minako lit the last candle and smiled to herself as she took a look around. It was perfect, just like she had pictured. Then she put on her perfume, the one she knew Rei liked, and she inhaled deeply several times to try and calm herself down.

She was still very nervous, but she hoped that, being the Senshi of Love, making love would be as natural as breathing. With that thought in mind, she left the bedroom.

But, as soon as she stepped in the living room, her empathic powers sensed Rei's distress.

"Rei?" Minako frowned, staring carefully at the miko, who was standing with her back turned to the idol. "Reiko... What's the matter?"

"I- I found... this." Rei replied quietly, holding a magazine in her hands.

Minako blinked, wondering where that had come from, since she hadn't bought any magazines lately. Then she recalled that that was probably one of the things Sacho had left there. She approached Rei and looked at the cover of the magazine. There was a picture of her, smiling charmingly while hugging a handsome actor. In capital letters, she read the article was about her supposed affair with this guy, who happened to be one of her best friends from the show business, and the release of her new album. For a brief moment, Minako was extremely disappointed, thinking that Rei had actually believed what she had seen.

"Rei, you know that's a-"

"I know." Rei said before Minako could finish her sentence. "I know it's a lie and I know you would never cheat on me."

The idol let out a small sigh of relief, but when she noticed Rei's mood hadn't gotten any better, she took the magazine from her hands and forced the miko to stare her in the eyes. "So, if you know it's a lie, then why are you so upset about it, Reiko?"

"It's not the fact they are publishing lies about you that bothers me." Rei muttered and Minako's frown deepened. "What really bothers me is the fact that you are not telling the truth. Every time people ask you whether or not you are in a relationship, you are always evasive."

"I'm always evasive when it comes to my private life, Rei. I have always been." Minako stated calmly.

Rei sighed, shaking her head slightly and avoiding Minako's eyes. "Never mind. I really shouldn't be-"

"No." Minako insisted, forcing Rei to look at her again. "Please, Rei. If this bothers you so much, we need to talk about it."

"Maybe I'm being silly, but..." Rei paused, staring at the ground, "I feel like you're ashamed of me." Her head was still low and she did not see Minako blinking a couple of times, astonished by what she had just heard. "I feel like I'm not part of your life, not completely, since we can only act as a couple behind closed doors. I can't even kiss you, at least not before you make sure we are all alone, because you are too afraid someone might see us. I just... I wish you didn't have to hide me from the world, that's it."

For a moment, Minako remained silent. She had agreed with Sacho that it would be better if she didn't let her relationship with Rei become public, but she had never thought this would make her girlfriend feel that bad.

"Rei... I'm not ashamed of you. It's just that... it's complicated. You know, I have to think about my career and the public's opinion matters to me. I can't just tell everyone I'm in a relationship with another girl."

"But this is who you are, Minako!" Even before Rei knew, the words were out of her mouth. "And people have to like you for who you are. By hiding the truth, you are selling a fake image to your fans. You're not being honest."

"So you are calling me a liar?!"

"No! I just said that you're not being honest! There's a difference!"

"I see no difference, Rei!" Minako's voice was louder than she had intended, so she paused and ran her fingers through her hair. It didn't help that much, because when she spoke again, her tone was low, but it was also bitter. "So this is what you want, Rei? You want me to tell everyone that we are together?"

"No!" Rei cried out, frustrated. Then, she sighed and answered after a moment of silence. "Actually, Minako, yes; you're right. I do want you to open up about our relationship, since I'm asking you to tell the truth!"

"I can't, Rei! I can't risk my career like that; my career is the most important thing in my whole lif-" Once Minako registered what she had just said, probably because of Rei's devastated expression, she stopped herself. "Hey... That's not what I meant, Reik-"

But the damage was done.

"I see." Rei muttered, cutting her off. "I should have never asked you something like this. I'm sorry."

Minako felt a lump beginning to form in her throat. "Reiko, listen to me. I didn't mean what I- Hey! Where are you going?!" She asked, astonished, as she noticed that Rei had reached for her purse and was walking towards the door.

"I don't know." Rei replied sincerely. "I just need to get out of here."

"Rei, please-", the sound of the door closing made Minako stop talking and she had tears in her eyes when she whispered the rest of the sentence, "...don't leave me."

But Rei never heard those words.

* * *

After she blew out the last candle, Minako sniffed and tried to wipe the tears away. The night had ended even before it had begun and it would certainly be memorable, but for the wrong reasons. That had been their first fight as a couple and, to be honest, Minako wasn't really sure if there would be another one. She didn't even know if Rei wanted to be with her anymore, not after what she had said.

She threw herself on the bed and hugged her pillow, crying harder, but Minako knew she couldn't blame Rei for being so upset. If she were on her shoes, Minako would feel the same way; she wouldn't want Rei to hide their relationship and she would certainly feel hurt if Rei had said that her work as a miko was more important than anything, Minako included. But that had obviously been a misunderstanding. Rei was the most precious thing in Minako's life, but, unfortunately, she didn't let the idol explain herself.

Minako hugged the pillow tighter and a loud sob escaped her lips. Being so utterly upset as she was, she didn't notice someone had gotten in her room.

"I think this is the first time I've seen you cry." A sad whisper broke her thoughts and quickly Minako raised her head.

"Rei?!" She cried out and jumped off the bed, throwing herself in her girlfriend's arms. Sobbing, she rested her cheek on Rei's shoulder and kept her close to her body, as if she was afraid the girl would go away any minute.

Rei sighed and ran her hands up and down Minako's back, soothing her.

"I should have never left you alone. From the moment I was out the door, I was already missing you." Rei said quietly. "I'm sorry, Mina. I was being unreasonable... And I think- I think I got a little jealous when I saw you on the cover of that magazine... in that boy's arms." She admitted with a grimace as that picture blinked in her mind. Apparently those damn gossips about Minako's love life would always get on her nerves.

"You have the right to be upset, Rei. I just wished you had let me explain that my career-"

"Please, Mina." Rei cut her off softly. "I understand. I really do. So you don't have to explain that to me; I know how much your career means to you."

"No, Rei. Please listen to me." Minako insisted and the miko just nodded in agreement, watching as the idol stared deep in her eyes. "For years, my career was the only good thing in my life. The only thing that would truly make me happy. My family was never around, I was terribly sick and, to make things worse, I had no friends. So I think I just got used to referring to my career as the most important thing for me, but _you_ are the most important _person_ in my life, Reiko. And a person is way more important than a thing, which means that there's nothing more important to me than you."

Rei smiled, touched, and she wiped Minako's tears away. "The same goes for you. There's nothing more important to me than you, Mina. And I'm so sorry for making you cry..." She stated, hugging Minako close to her body again. Then, brushing her nose lightly against her girlfriend's neck, Rei whispered. "Can you forgive me?"

"Of course I can, Reiko." Minako closed her eyes and sighed contently for having the girl she loved in her arms.

But, after a moment of comfortable silence, Rei spoke again. "Hey, Mina..."

"Yes, Reiko?"

"Why is there like a hundred unlit candles in your room?" She asked curiously and for the first time in her life, she saw Minako stumble over the words.

"I- uh... I just..." She didn't know how to tell Rei about her plans for the evening, so she lowered her head and said the first thing that came to her mind, blushing as she did so. "It was for you."

"For me?" Rei frowned. Then, she smiled amused as the penny dropped. "Oh."

"Yes. For you." The idol admitted, still with her head low. She was always so self-confident, but when it came to this matter, for some reason, she would always feel shy around Rei. "I know you like fire and I was hoping this would be... uh, our f-first night... t-together. So I wanted you to feel comfortable... and I... I also wanted it to be romantic and... you know..."

"I see." Rei tried to hold back a smile, thinking that Minako looked incredibly cute, acting uncharacteristically shy like that. She used her fingers to raise the idol's chin so she could look her in the eyes. "It's amazing, Mina. I loved it."

"Really?" Minako asked anxiously, but Rei could notice a bit of disappointment in her tone. "You should have seen them when they were lit... It was so pretty."

Rei cupped Minako's cheeks in her hands and softly pressed their foreheads together. "If that's what's bothering you, I can fix that." So the miko closed her eyes and it took her only a second to concentrate before all the candles lit at the same time. Then, when Rei opened her eyes and saw Minako's stunned expression, she chuckled.

"Wow, Rei! How-"

"Fire is my element, remember? And after all these years of training, it's quite easy to control it." Rei smirked while Minako stared around in awe.

Then, as their eyes met and locked together, both instantly felt the change in the atmosphere. And much to Minako's surprise, Rei didn't seem nervous at all. Actually, she was confident as never.

"There's just one more thing..." Rei removed her arms around Minako's waist and walked to the door, "...I think the candles will look even prettier if we turn the lights off. Don't you think?"

Minako gulped and nodded weakly. Then, once Rei flicked the switch, Minako glanced around and parted her lips. Indeed, it was even more breathtaking with the lights off.

"Rei..." The idol muttered her name as she looked at her girlfriend again. Rei was stunning, bathed by the firelight, and Minako's knees almost gave in when she noticed the way Rei was staring at her. That familiar way... so fiery... so passionate.

Walking slowly towards the idol and never breaking their stare, Rei got closer to Minako until their bodies were mere inches away. "Don't worry." Rei whispered, caressing Minako's cheek and, apparently, reading her emotions as if she were the empathic one. "It's going to be perfect."

"H-How do you know, Reiko?" Minako felt her own lips trembling as she spoke. Then she widened her eyes when she saw Rei's steady hands had found the buttons of her dress, slowly undoing them, one by one.

Rei stopped what she was doing and stared at her again. "Because it's going to be with you." She said sincerely and, with her eyes still lingering on Minako's, Rei's hands resumed their task.

Minako felt a shiver run down her spine while butterflies danced madly in her stomach. She glanced at Rei's hands that were now gently sliding the straps of her dress down her shoulders. The dress seemed to fall to the ground in slow motion and the next thing Minako noticed was Rei staring at her half naked body with lips slightly parted.

The idol felt her cheeks warming at the look in Rei's face when her eyes fixed on her lingerie.

"Uh, this is for y-you too. I mean... I bought it for me... to wear it for you." Minako said quietly, looking down at herself. "I wanted to... to look beautiful for you."

Forcing herself to take her eyes off Minako's body and stare at her face, Rei breathed. "You look... amazing. You always do. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen, Mina."

The idol smiled shyly and she gasped softly as she felt Rei's arms slowing wrapping around her waist, bringing her closer.

With their lips slightly touching, Rei whispered. "I think I never said it before, at least not with words, but I want you to know that I... I love you."

Minako was stunned. She felt her heart fluttering at Rei's statement, but before she could answer properly, she felt Rei's lips claiming hers in a soft kiss. Minako returned it immediately, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around the miko's neck. Apparently Rei didn't want a verbal answer for her declaration of love.

So as the kiss heated up, Minako started to pull Rei's t-shirt up, reluctantly breaking their lips contact. It was when their eyes met again.

For one second, they just stared intently at each other, both aware of what was about to come. Then, with a burning desire neither had ever felt before, they resumed the kiss, even more passionately now, instinctively finding their way to the bed.

Minako let herself fall onto it when she felt the back of her legs touching the mattress and, from where she laid, she stared unabashedly at Rei's topless body. But desperately needing to feel Rei's skin on hers again, Minako moved until she was sitting on the edge of the bed.

Mesmerized, she touched Rei's flat stomach with the tip of her fingers. The miko shivered as she felt Minako's hands running over her skin and then slowly pulling down her skirt. Rei's eyes were filled with passion and she leaned forward, kissing Minako's lips and pinning the idol on the bed.

"Reiko..." Minako breathed as Rei's lips met the sensitive skin behind her ear. She gasped as she felt her girlfriend's body deliciously and rhythmically pressing between her thighs, while Rei's lips were trailing kisses from her neck to her breasts. How Rei seemed to be everywhere at the same time, Minako would never know. And, frankly, all coherent thoughts had already left her mind from the moment Rei had started her ministrations.

As she heard Minako's moans of pleasure, Rei thought that those were the sweetest sounds she had ever heard coming out from the idol's mouth. And, definitely, she would make Minako repeat them... over and over again.

Definitely.

* * *

**Author's note:**

So... you remember I said there would be some drama later on in the story, right? Well, I wasn't talking about the events of this chapter. This was just a lovers' quarrel; the drama is yet to come.


End file.
